Apr 22nd, 2009
Posted by Ian Thompson, ACLU at 6:14pm	LGBT Rights

Hate Crimes Mark-Up...Round #1

After a good five hours of debate and nearly a dozen poison-pill amendments, the House Judiciary Committee has recessed until 10am tomorrow morning, at which time they will resume debate on H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. The bill provides important new federal authority for investigating and prosecuting criminal civil rights violations, while also including strong protections for speech and association.

Despite the crocodile tears from opponents of the legislation, this isn’t about “thoughts” or “beliefs,” but rather violent acts of hatred. All anyone needs to do is actually read the legislation to find the speech and association protections, which would be the strongest against the misuse of a person’s free speech that Congress has enacted as part of the federal criminal code.

A little silver lining from today’s debate? The amendments, which are nothing more than attempts to undermine the entire bill, are being rejected, including one to strip gender identity protections. Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) gave an excellent defense for keeping those protections in place. Go Tammy!

Roll-your-eyes moment of the day? There have been many, but a personal favorite had to be Representative Steve King’s (R-Iowa) amendment to change the title of the bill to the “Thought Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.”

More tomorrow…

Permalink |	LGBT Rights

1. Davidson Says:
   Apr 23rd, 2009 at 1:30am

   I know the ACLU is supporting gender finally being included as a hate crimes factor at the federal level but I'm curious as to whether it'll say that rape is (almost exclusively) a gender hate crime? Rape victims are selected on the basis of gender and yet so many people falsely believe that the incorporation of sexuality in committing the crime cancels the effect of gender-based targeting.

   Misogynistic bigotry and violence needs to be called out.

   Thank you.

2. Maggie Says:
   Apr 23rd, 2009 at 7:22am

   I hope this applies to all RACES.

3. fallen hero Says:
   Apr 23rd, 2009 at 5:47pm

   my name isn't important, but what is important is i am disable war veteran. since i was discharge from the army i been force to fight for my rights with society. i am banned from kingsbourgh community college because i have PTSD. today, PTSD is a dirty word, the school thinks i am going on campus with a gun or something. i take my meds and i go every week to my therperist. what funny is i would never hurt anyone but myself. first, i was fired from my mailroom campus. my supervisor jack love me and i got alone with everyone. however, dean corrado discover my illness and fired me. i was told to come the next day to return the campus key. i announce myself at the gated i waited to be escorted on campus, but campus security surround me and arrested me.(trespassing). i had to go the next day again, and this time i was but in handcuffs and lead to dean corrado office. i made an appoitment for the VA representative K johnson, she told me the campus doesn't violent people. i never show violent to anybody on campus. it is not my thing. i punish myself by cutting or hurting myself. i had head security call me at home and threaten and telling me i am not allow on public campus. i email back and told f himself, the next thing i know there detective at my home to arrested me.
   from a fallen hero that wishes he never made back to unjust world